Arrival of the drones: 20 uses for unmanned aircraft

NEW YORK (AP) — Most people think of drones as instruments of warfare, but as the Federal Aviation Administration slowly opens U.S. airspace to commercial use of unmanned aircraft, they are going to become more commonplace.

The first uses are likely to be in remote, sparsely populated areas. Some of the proposed commercial applications for drones include:

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TACKLING DANGEROUS JOBS

— Searching places that aren't safe for humans, such as looking for survivors in collapsed buildings after an earthquake or inspecting nuclear power plants following a meltdown.

— Helping firefighters battling forest blazes by watching where flames are popping up without risking lives. Helicopters often can't be used because their powerful rotors threaten to spread the fire.

— Helping scientists conduct research inside volcanic ash clouds, hurricanes, tornados or other spots that are not safe for humans.

— Assessing damage for insurance companies after natural disasters, letting them process claims faster. It often takes days until people are allowed into a disaster zone.

— Visually inspecting oil refinery flare stacks, tall towers used to burn off gas when pressure builds too much. The flares give off so much heat that people often can't stand on the ground below, let alone climb the tower unless there is a lengthy and costly production shut down.

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SURVEYING LARGE INDUSTRY

— Inspecting miles of remote power lines quickly and at less cost.

— Surveying farmers' land, finding bugs or soil that is too dry or lacking nutrients, and then sending the exact GPS coordinates back to a tractor which will apply pesticide, water or fertilizer only to areas in need. Drones could also be used to treat hilly farms or vineyards where tractors often roll over.

— Performing safety checks of remote railroad bridges.

— Inspecting highway overpasses without shutting down lanes of traffic.